4.

3 The Big Colourful World

A
Native Americans celebrate New Year at the end of January or beginning of February. They have
a fire ceremony with dances. This is season of storytelling and planting festivals because Native
Americans have always cherished the nature.
Chinese celebrate New Year at the end of January or beginning of February. They clean their
homes to sweep away bad luck and make way for good luck.
People of Iran celebrate NY on the first day of spring. They organize folk dances, concerts and
tree planting.
B
Religious and national holidays have various customs and rituals. In the Balkan people prepare a
special kind of bread for Christmas and put a coin inside for good luck.
In Britain people prepare Yorkshire pudding.
For Thanksgiving they prepare turkey and sweet potatoes in the USA.
Some plants are important for some celebrations. In Greece they hang a plant that looks like a big
onion as a symbol of wealth and good luck. Serbs throw walnuts into the corners of the house. In
the USA and Britain they use mistletoe. Before Easter, people use plants and flowers to mark this
holiday.
C
Chinese people wear costumes for NY. They represent fights against the monster which was afraid
of red colour and loud sounds. That’s why they decorate their houses in red and use firecrackers.
In Iran they use black colour for good luck. They wear white clothes on funerals. Brides usually
wear red colour.